Veneer grade line apparatus



United States Patent [72] Inventor Emil A. Herman,

a Star lite Box C 124, Westllr, Oregon 97492 1 [21] Appl. No. 778,694[22] Filed Nov. 25, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 8, 1970 [54] VENEER GRADELINE APPARATUS '7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs. [52] US. 271/64, 209/74;214/6; 271/68, 271/76, 271/86 [51 Int. B65h 29/60 [50] Field ol'Search271/64, 68, 76, 86, 88; 214/60, 611, 6F; 209/74 [56] References CltedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,761 12/1965 Meycr-Jagenbery 271/68 3,288,31211/1966 Hughes 2l4/6(D)X' I Primary Examiner-Richard A. SchacherAttorney-James D. Givnan, .lr.

ABSTRACT: A sorting apparatus for flexible sheet material is disclosedembodying an elongate framework along which the sheets being sorted areconsecutively moved by overlying slack belts. A first belt system asshown delivers sheets to said slack belts. Raisable diverter arms withina grading station selectively divert an oncoming sheet downwardly ontomova ble supports which receive and hold a quantity of like sheets ofmaterial for subsequent deposit onto a stack. The overlying belts are infrictional moving contact with the sheets both during passage along theframework and throughout the downward diverting onto the supports.Control means are provided for automatic sheet diverting and for releaseof a quantity of sheets from said movable supports.

. PATENTEnnEc 81970 3545144 S15E11 0F 3 INVENTOR. EMEL A. HERMA PATENTEDDEC 8 1975 I saw 2 or 3 INVENTOR EMIL A. HERMAN PATENTEDBEQ sumsofs3.545744 INVENTOR. EMIL A. HERMAN 1 VENEER-GRADE LINE APPARATUSBACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to machineryfor sorting sheet material and more particularly to an apparatus forsorting flexible sheet material such as wood veneer of the type takenfrom a peeler log for ultimate use .in a laminated product.

To the extent the priorart is known, various machines have been designedto accomplish the sorting of sawn board lumber which machines bynecessity vary substantially in structure and function from the presentinvention 'which is directed toward the sorting of semirigid sheetmaterial. The present disclosure is made in reference to the grading andsorting of thin, wooden veneers of the type peeled by a lathe turned logand ultimately combined with other veneer pieces as laminates of aplywood sheet. The thickness of such material will range, inconventional plywood layup operations, from one-tenth of an inch toseven thirty-seconds of an inch and accordingly is both flexible andeasily damaged, such characteristics making the rapid sorting of same avery distinct problem from that of sorting board lumber.

While some efforts have been made in the art to provide a veneersortpksuch efforts have been for the most part commercially unsuccessfulto the extent known for the reason of their highly sophisticated designresulting in both high original price and costly maintenance; Further,services of highly skilled technicians are required to maintain same. Byfar the majority of veneer producing plants are of a relatively smallsize unable to afford nor maintain such sorting equipment. For thesereasonssorting of peeled veneer is still, for the most part, donemanually by men stationed along a conveyor line.

An even more undesirable feature of the existing veneer graders known isthe unsatisfactory ratio of downtime to operational time, the downtimealso causing the costly shutdown of associated production lineequipment. 7

From'the foregoing it isbelieved apparent that a need has existed in theart at hand for-a veneer sorter utilizing for the most parttro'uble-free'componcnts in combination with highly reliablepower-operated components combined to provide a grader line readilyadvantageous to and economically feasible for the typical veneer plant.

SUMMARY The present invention isdirec ted toward providing an apparatusfor sorting flexible I sheet material according to selected criteria.Conveyor'means move the sheet material past a series of grading stationseach of which includes diverter means actuated by the operator alone orin combination with a memory control system to terminate horizontalsheet passage of like sheets at a desired station. Temporary supportingmeans are included at each station on which are deposited the sheetsuntil a desired quantity of sheets have been collected at which timerelease of the sheet supporting means allows said quantity of sheets tomove onto a stack of sheet material previously sorted out at thatgrading station. Hence, the material is both sorted by the presentapparatus and accurately stacked for convenient transfer for subsequentmanufacturing steps.

The novel conveyor means of the present invention serves dually both totransfer consecutive sheets of material horizon tally past the severalgrading stations and upon their diversion from said horizontal pathmoves them downwardly whereat said sheets are collected. Utilization ismade of slack conveyor belts in weighted frictional contact uponsaidsheet for movement thereof at different levels In addition to theforegoing advantages it is an important object of the present inventionto provide a grade line apparatus for rapidly sorting flexible, fairlyfragile wood veneer sheets jwithout subjecting said veneer sheets todamage. Further, a single operator, in close surveillance of the entiregrader line, can view the progress of each sheet as it is diverted andcomes to rest at its appropriate grading station by reason of theapparatus being embodied in an open structure wherein any sortingproblem is immediately obvious and quickly remedied without loss ordamage to successively delivered sheets. I

A further object resides in the feature of being capable of sortingirregular or random width veneer sheets which are relatively narrowresulting from the selective clipping out of imperfections within theoriginal peeled veneer sheet. In the past where grading has beenaccomplished by workmen stationed along a dry or green chain the sortingout of the smaller random-sized sheets presented no obstacle howeverwith the advent of mechanical sorters utilizing vacuum means the smallerrandom sheets do present some difficulties. In the present apparatushowever such is avoided since all sheets regardless of size are inpositive frictional contact with endless conveyor belts during travelalong the grade line apparatus to their respective grading station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the veneer grade line apparatusshowing two grading stations as being typical of any number of suchstations in such an apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational-view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view somewhat diagrammatic of the beltarrangement for delivery of successive sheets to the lower runs of themain frameworks conveyor belts,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of sheet diverter means at a typicalgrading station with like collected veneer sheets shown in dashed lines,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of one grading station inwhich a second sheet of veneer is being received,

FIG. 7 is a sectional, elevational view of the grading station takenalong line 7-7 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 8 is a wiring schematic of a typical control system for operating aseries of diverter arms on one grading station.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continuing reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein like parts are identified by likereference numerals, in the following specification the reference numeral10 indicates generally an elongate open metal main framework of angleiron construction supported by leg members 11. A pair of side rails 12are supported by said legs and extend the length of the apparatus whichlength will-be determined by the number of grading stations desired.While but two of such stations are shown generally at 15 in FIG. 1 and 2it is understood that a wood veneer sorting apparatus would have severaladditional grading stations with the number of stations of course beingdetermined by the number of grades to be sorted.

The off load end of a belt conveyor system is shown generally andfragmentarily at 16 said system presenting, in a consecutive manner,sheets of veneer at V to the endless conveyor means supported by themain framework 10. Conveyor system 16 includes conventional, poweredendless belts 17 entrained at their sheet discharge end on pulleys 18 asbest viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The companion pulleys (not shown) forpulleys 18 mounting the on loading ends of belts are located such as toallow belts 17 to receive individual pieces of sheet material fromconveyors or other sheet delivery devices. A flat belt supportingsurface is provided in the form of a table like structure 19 preferablyinclined and across the upper surface of which the plural belts 17slide.

Endless belts indicated at 20 are forwardly entrained on pulleys 21 fortravel along main framework 10. Belts 20 are of the type known in theindustry as rough top or rough surface belts which identifies a beltingwith its outer or work contacting surface of a material having a highcoefficient of friction for conveying material under conditions wherethe material has a tendency to slide relative to its supporting belts.Shaft 28 carries pulleys 21.

With attention to FIG. 3 the relationship is therein typically shown ofone pulley 18 to a belt 20 which relationship insures the veneer at V,carried by the belts 17 is transferred in an uninterrupted manner to thebelts 20 traveling the framework 10. To accomplish such a transferpulleys 18 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 27 subjacent the lower runsof belts 20, shaft 21 being suitably journaled in bearings 22 on onepair of legs 11.

For powering the multiple belts 17 and multiple belts 20, I provide anelectric motor 23, gear reduction unit 26 in chain driven connection at29 with a sprocket 24 to drive pulleys 21 and is also in drivingconnection with shaft 27 carrying pulleys 18.

The speed of the belts 17 is such as to provide desired spacing betweenconsecutive sheets as they are delivered to the belts 20 on theframework 10. Such spacing is preferably a few feet or so between thetrailing edge of a first sheet and the leading edge of a following sheetwhile moving along the framework 10. To effect this spacing it will beappreciated that various conventional chain drive arrangements includingmultispeed drive or drives may be utilized in powering the belts abovedescribed.

With continuing reference to the main framework 10, as best shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 7 such may be of any desired length as aforesaidnecessary to accommodate the number of grading stations desired. Plates30 are spaced along and extend transversely of the framework tyingtogether pairs of the side rails 12. The framework 10 is further maderigid by angle iron crossmembers 31 also extending transversely of saidframework interconnecting legs 11. The plates 30 further serve tosupport metal strips 35 extending lengthwise of the framework to supportthe horizontally disposed upper runs of rough surface belts 20.

At both ends of each side rail 12 bearings 32 are mounted for receptionof the shaft 28 which rotatably mounts pulleys 21. Viewing FIG. 1 now,it is to be understood that the unseen or right-hand ends of side rails12 will in a like manner suspend like pulleys oflike diameter andlocation with respect to the side rails ends.

For transferring veneer sheets from the belts 17 over to the framework10 for conveyed travel therealong by belts a series of curved ways 34are provided having forwardly and downwardly sloping portions with upperedges 34A which edges as best shown in FIG. 3 terminate forwardly at apoint below a plane containing the upper runs of the belts I7.Accordingly veneer sheets carried by belts 17 are intercepted by saidedges and lifted progressively upwardly and away from thebelts 17 withthe leading edge of the veneer sheet following the upwardly slopingcurved edges 34A of the ways. The sheet V accordingly causes the lowerrun of the belt 20 to move upwardly away from its normal course.

As viewed in FIG. 2, pairs of ways 34 are located oppositely adjacenteach of the belts 20 with the lower runs of the latter normallytraveling intermediate the lower edges of said ways as shown in FIG. 1except for the forward most portion of each way which extends slightlydownward.

As best shown in FIG. 3 the lower runs of the rough surface belts 20 arelocated slightly above the dipping forward end portion of the ways whichresults in the rough surface (underside) of each belt 20 coming intoprogressive contact with a veneer sheet that has been intercepted andraised by the upper edges 34A of the ways.

The endless rough surface belts 20 are each of a length whereby thelower run of said belts is in a slack condition when no veneer is beingmoved along framework 10 thereby. It will be remembered that the upperruns of belts 20 are supported by plates 35. As veneer sheets V arecontacted and picked up by the lower runs as above set out it isnecessary that the belts 20 have enough slack to allow said lower runsto be displaced upwardly to a horizontal plane or level L1 approximatelycoplanar with the uppermost edges of the ways 34 which is the case forthe remainder of the sheets passage along the framework 10 untildiversion thereof. Accordingly the series of ways 34 in addition tointercepting and lifting consecutive veneer sheets delivered by thebelts 17, also function to elevate to plane Llsaid sheets as they movealong the upper edges 34A of the ways. Ultimately a veneer sheet isaccordingly located for travel along framework 10 in a horizontal planeL1 and during movement therealong bears a portion of the belts weight toinsure frictional contact therebetween.

A typical grading ,station 15 will now be dew described which serves toselectively divert like grades of veneer sheets from travel along theaforementioned horizontal plane L1 downwardly into temporary supportedengagement onto a pair of movable supports 3637 whereat, as laterdescribed, said supports periodically release the sheets onto a stacktherebelow.

Details of a representative grading station are best shown in FIGS. 5through 7. Diverter means comprising diverter arms are indicated at 38which arms are spaced at intervals across a station and which areraisable in unison to divert an oncoming sheet of veneer. Each arm ispivotally mounted at its rearward end by means of a pivot pin 42 withinpairs of upright plates 41, said pairs also being spaced at intervalsacross the width of the framework 10 and are supported by the angle ironcrossmembers 31. An actuating rod 43 for each diverter arm extendsrearwardly between each pair of plates 41 and pivotally terminates at acrank arm assembly 44. Upon rearward movement of rod 43 by said crankassembly the arm 38 will be raised to present a beveled edge 38A, formedon the underside of said arm, to the oncoming sheet to downwardly divertthe leading edge of same. The sheet prior to being diverted is beingconveyed along coplanar horizontal upper edges 41A of the upright plates41. The flat uppermost edges 38B of the diverter arms when down in theinoperative position also constitute veneer sliding surfaces. From thisit will be evident that as each veneer sheet passes along framework 10it will travel over alternating series of diverter arms 38 and uprightplates 41 until diverted downwardly by a series of raised diverter arms38 according to its grade ata particular station. When so diverted theveneer sheet will ride'on a downwardly inclined edge 41Bofplate 41.

Since the sheet, prior to diversion, will be traveling within thehorizontal plane Ll it will be carrying at least a part of the weight ofthe belts 20. This weight assures the necessary frictional contact formovement of the sheet over said arms and plates by the belts 20 alongsaid plane and secondly, with the diverter arms 38 of a grading stationbeing raised, assures belt contact with the sheet as the latter followsthe downwardly inclined edges 41B of the upright plates 41 of theimmediate preceding grading station. When at rest on the supports 36- 37the veneer pieces V are in substantially pressureless contact with thepassing belts 20. In the first grading station of FIG. 1 these lastmentioned edges are formed on the rearward portions of the ways 34.

Such downwardly inclined travel of a diverted sheet causes the leadingedge of same to slidably engage horizontal, inwardly directed segments45-46 of movable supports 3637 as shown in FIG. 6 wherein a sheet isshown being diverted and partially in place on the movable supports.With attention to FIG. 7 it is seen that each support 3637 may be offormed rod construction including the inwardly directed horizontalsegments 45-46 which in the sheet receiving position project inwardly adistance to be in the path of the sheets leading edge. Upon contactoccurring, the moving sheet will continue to be moved by belts 20 alongthe hofizontal segments until it contacts the edge of a previouslydiverted sheet or a stop 47 on the plate 41. The outer rough surface ofbelts 20 will be in frictional contact with the piece of veneer toassure movement thereof both downwardly and horizontally in a slidingmanner along the segments 45 -46 of the movable supports.

Upon a number of veneer pieces (as determined by the width of the piecesbeing sorted) filling the horizontal segments 4546 in a grading stationthe movable supports will be actuated by discharge means includingcontrols as later described. A grading station receiving for example48-inch width veneers in a typical veneer sorting installation maydivert and temporarilyretain but one piece of veneer at a time whileconversely a grading Station sorting out random sized veneer pieces willreceive several pieces prior to actuation of the movable supports 3 637.

As best viewed in FIG. 7 the bellcrank assembly 44 for raising thediverter arms in each grading station includes a shaft 50 extendingtransversely of a pair of legs 11 and journaled in bearings 51. Thecrank arm assembly extends across the framework by. means of a laterallyextending crosspiece 52 which carries in a spaced apart manner aperturedupright extensions 53 which pivotally receive the rearward, turned endsof the actuating rods 43. An air cylinder 54 is operable to acmate thebellcrank assembly causing simultaneous rearward movement of allactuating rods 43 in one grading station which in turn raises each ofsaid diverter arms 38 into a sheet diverting position as shown in F IG.6. An air solenoid valve 55 (FlG/S) is in communication with a cylinder54 for controlling a flow of pressurized air to either end thereof. Thediverter arms in a particular grading stationwill be raised for aduration within which the sheet being diverted thereby will have fullypassed downwardly onto the movable support. The duration will vary willdifferent widths of sheets being sorted at each station and for thisreason a settable time delay may be used in circuit with said solenoidvalve and a sheet sensing switch to adjust the raised duration of aseries of diverter arms.

system for operation of a series of diverter arms within a single graderstation and it is understood that various other control systems for saidarms will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to adapt thepresent apparatus to individual veneer plants.

The typical control system shown in FIG. 8 for the diverter arms 38includes what is widely known in connection with other types of machinesas a memory system which, briefly summarized, serves to allow a machineoperator to selectively complete part of a circuit with the remainingpart of the cir- *cuit being closed automatically by passage of anarticle past a sensing switch presently in'the form of a whisker switch.By way of example of such a control system a veneer piece as it passesthe operators. location at the forward end of framework wherein acontrol station is provided, the veneer is judged to be of the grade andsize being stacked in thesecond or right hand grading station 15 theoperator will set up or close a first circuit to a sensing switch 56 forthe grading station by momentarily depressing push button switch 57. Arelay 58 will close to provide switch 56 with a source. of power. Uponthe sheet actual actuating that particular sensing switch for thatgrading station the air solenoid valve is energized directingpressurized air to the upper end of the cylinder for retraction of itsrod and ultimately the raising of the diverter arms for that gradingstation. The arms will stay raised until expiration of a time delaycontrol 60 at which time the circuit to solenoid 55 is opened resultingin pressurized air being directed to the base end of cylinder 54 tolower the arms.

As aforesaid each grading station 15 further includes discharge meansfor operating the movable supports 36-13 37onto which veneer pieces arediverted by the arms 38. The outer edges or margins of each divertedsheet come into supported contact with the horizontally directedsegments 45- 46which segments will receive and hold a number of veneerpieces the number being determined by the width being sorted at thestation. Upon the segments holding capacity being reached a switch 62(FIG. 6) is actuated to close a circuit to an air solenoid valvev63(FIG. 7) which directs air under pressure to the rod'end of an aircylinder 64 momentarily retracting the piston rod 65 thereof. Thehorizontal segments 4S-46 of the movable supports are moved outwardly tothe broken line position of FIG. 7 permitting the supported quantity ofveneer pieces to descent onto a stack shown in dashed lines. Eachmovable support 3637 includes upright arms 66-67 which are swingab leinwardly by a toggle link 68 to a veneer releasing position uponretraction of said piston rod 65. The

t l: The simplified electricalcircuit of'FlG: 18 is but onegcontrolicylinder 64 is bracket mounted at 70 on a crossmember 30. A tie rod 71interconnects the arm 66 with toggle 68. Further, the movable supports 3637 are swingably mounted by means of their ends being journaled withinears 72 welded to the leg members 11.

Switch 62 is of the type incorporating a settable delay mechanism whichdelays closing of the switches contacts and also includes a whisker 62Aor flexible tine which when contacted by a veneer sheet initiates therunning of a delay period. This delay provision prevents closing of acircuit to the air solenoid valve 63 by each passing veneer piece. It isonly until the last veneer piece comes to rest on the horizontal segment46 of the movable support that the whisker 62A is depressed for arequisite period of time after which the switch actuates solenoid 63.tocycle rod movement of cylinder 64 and release the veneer pieces. Where agrading station is receiving large or 48-inch width veneers this cyclingmay occur with the reception of each sheet by the movable supports.

The release of the veneer pieces or piece will permit same to fall ontoits stack of like size and grade pieces in an orderly, precise fashion.Rollers '74 permit the convenient periodic removal of the stacks. I

The operation of the present apparatus is believed to be above set forthin conjunction with the description of the structural embodiment of theinvention.

lclaim:

y 1 1. An apparatus ifojr t-hesorting .qfgse mirigid material, .com

prising in combination: 7

an elongate main framework receiving sheet material at its forward endand embodying grading stations located therealong to receive sheetmaterial of different grades; endless belts having upper and lower runsextending lengthwise of said framework and in driven connection with asource of power, said belts having rough exterior surfaces forfrictional overlying engagement with said sheet material and entrainedon said framework in a slack manner; inclined ways spaced across theforward end of said framework for receiving sheet material, said waysextending rearwardly and adjacently the slack lower runs of said beltsto direct a sheet moving on said ways into progressive frictionalengagement with and below segments of said endless belts displacing saidsegments upwardly from their normal slack course, said sheet being movedalong said ways toward a horizontal plane located above the normalcourse of the belts lower runs; grading stations located along saidframework including means slidably supporting a sheet for horizontalmove ment in 'said horizontal plane and diverter means for downwardlydiverting a moving sheet from said plane;

movable supports also within each of said grading stations for receivingand holding said downwardly diverted sheets; and

said segments of the slack lower runs of the belts being in restingfrictional engagement uponsaid sheet throughout the sheets movementalong the horizontal plane and also during the downward divertingthereof whereby the sheet is moved onto said movable supports.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable supports areswingably mounted on said framework, discharge means coupled with saidsupports for intermittent shee't releasing movement thereof allowingdeposit of said sheet onto a subjacent stack.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said discharge meansincludes a switch control contactable by a sheet on said movablesupport.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a belt conveyor systemterminates adjacent the forward end of said framework for off loadingsheets consecutively onto said ways.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said belt conveyor systemincludes plural endless belts, said ways having forwardly and downwardlysloping front portions disposed so as to intercept sheets carried bysaid conveyor system to lift same away from the belts of said conveyorsystem and ultimately direct the sheets into said progressive frictionalcontact with said endless belts on the main framework.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for slidablysupporting a sheet within a grading station includes upright plates forcontinued horizontal sheet movement in said horizontal plane with saidplates constituting a continuation of said ways, said diverter meanscomprising a series of pivoted arms spaced apart transversely of saidframework, powered means coupled to said arms for simultaneous raisingof same for diverting a sheet at that station

